A flurry of diplomatic activity between Iran and Western nations has taken place in recent weeks, raising hopes of a de-escalation in tensions as the Middle East nation continues to antagonize the West with its support for Russia and continued advancement of its nuclear program.

The Islamic Republic is now simultaneously holding talks with the European Union and the United States.

Last week, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri-Kani met European Union mediator Enrique Mora in the Qatari capital Doha in an effort to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The EU, unlike the US, is still party to that agreement.

Still, the talks have rekindled hope that cooperation could be fruitful. Here’s what you need to know about the diplomatic activity:

Why is this happening now?

The resumption of talks raises questions of timing and motivations for both sides. It takes place as Iran’s nuclear program advances beyond the requirements of nuclear energy and toward those of a bomb. Tehran has also proven to be a menace in the Ukraine war, supplying Russia with hundreds of attack drones. And it continues to advance a missile program that has Western nations and its neighbors concerned.

There could also be electoral considerations for both sides. The Islamic Republic faces parliamentary elections next year, and any easing of Western sanctions could give its rulers a boost in the polls. The US, which will hold presidential elections in 2024, has made it a priority to secure the release of multiple Americans who have been detained in Iran.

“Both Tehran and Washington see an opportunity in advance of their respective parliamentary and presidential elections to make compromises and contain a crisis,” said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East North Africa Program at the Chatham House think tank in London.

Have there been any indications of progress from either side?

Amid reports of a resumption of talks between the US and Iran this month, the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said there was “nothing wrong” with a nuclear deal with the West provided that his country’s nuclear infrastructure remains “untouched.”

But gestures from the US could indicate winds of change. This month, the US approved a waiver allowing the transfer of $2.7 billion of debt from Iraq to Iranian banks, in a move State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller called “consistent with transactions that have taken place over – going back a number of years.”

How do Iran’s neighbors feel about this?

Recent meetings between Iran and Western states have taken place in Gulf Arab states. Iran has met European officials in the UAE and Qatar, and American officials in Oman. Some of the Arab states that had welcomed ex-US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, in 2018, when tensions with the Islamic Republic were at their highest in decades, have now patched things up with Iran and are keen to reduce tensions in the region.

They had lamented being left out of the talks with Iran when world powers struck a deal with the Islamic Republic in 2015, but are now actively facilitating the dialogue.

That leaves Israel as the only state that vocally opposes the resumption of talks.

“Our position is clear: Israel will not be bound by any deal with Iran and will continue to defend itself,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this month.

If a deal is reached, what would it look like?

Iran has made it clear that it is not interested in reaching a deal that would replace the JCPOA. And from the American side, a return to that agreement is likely to require congressional approval that may be difficult to achieve.

Analysts say that reviving the deal is very unlikely at the moment. Tehran and Washington could instead come to an agreement that would see the release of some high-profile American prisoners in Iran in exchange for some sanctions relief. Oman’s foreign minister has said that such an arrangement is “close.”

South Korea owes Iran $7 billion for oil imports that have been blocked by US sanctions and those funds may be the subject of US-Iran talks, according to multiple reports.

Naysan Rafati, senior Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank, said a number of non-nuclear issues are at play, such as Iran’s support for Russia “which Western governments view with serious concern.”

“On all of these issues, though, pieces being in motion still leaves questions on how exactly they fit together – and whether they will actually fall into place.”

Vakil said if deal is reached, it is more likely to be a “band-aid” instead of a “panacea” for the outstanding issues between Iran and the US.

“Negotiators have been down this pathway before. It is unclear if there is consensus in Tehran and the same applies to the Biden administration.”

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the leader of Greece’s center-right New Democracy party, has comfortably won a second four-year term as prime minister, on a night that also saw gains for the far right.

Mitsotakis is set to return to the prime minister’s office in a stronger position with his party’s resounding victory in Sunday’s elections, which were dominated by financial stability and cost-of-living issues.

“We have high targets that will transform Greece,” a triumphant Mitsotakis said in his victory speech, promising that “major reforms” would soon be under way.

“I will not tolerate any arrogance,” he added.

With nearly 100% of the vote counted, New Democracy had garnered over 40% of the vote. Its main opposition, leftist party Syriza trailed far behind in the preliminary results with over 17%.

A total of eight parties, including centrist PASOK-KINAL and leftist KKE, crossed the 3% threshold to enter the Greek parliament. They included groups on the far-right; the biggest surprise in Sunday’s vote was the entry to parliament of the little known, strongly anti-migrant Spartans party, backed by disgraced former lawmaker Ilias Kasidiaris, who is currently serving a prison sentence of over 13 years for membership in a criminal organization.

He is a former leading member of Golden Dawn, a neo-Nazi party that gained popularity during Greece’s financial crisis.

Other fringe far-right entries to parliament included the nationalist party Greek Solution and the ultra-religious, anti-abortion Niki. The three together have secured for the far right a bloc of more than 30 seats.

“Mitsotakis has been rewarded by voters as the leader who has led Greece out of a severe debt crisis and three international bailouts back into a growth path. Someone who has kept, at least some, of his pledges which is more than many in Greece had previously done,” said Nick Malkoutzis, senior political analyst at Macropolis.

It was the second general election in Greece in five weeks, after New Democracy scored a victory in May surpassing all expectations but fell short of winning an outright majority.

Mitsotakis, at the helm during the Covid-19 pandemic and Europe’s energy crisis, had positioned himself as a safe pair of hands to boost growth in difficult global circumstances. His government staged a stunning turnaround in the economy, now on the brink of returning to investment grade on the global market for the first time since it lost market access in 2010.

New Democracy’s bid for reelection focused on measures to consolidate Greece’s economic recovery, promising a 3% annual growth, tax cuts and curbing unemployment.

Greece’s former prime minister Alexis Tsipras – who had struggled to deliver on economic recovery promises while in office – fell short of convincing voters, along with his leftist Syriza party.

The migration debate

Sunday’s vote came days after a shocking shipwreck in Greek waters. At least 82 people were left dead and hundreds more unaccounted for when an overcrowded migrant boat capsized and sank of the coast of Pylos.

The deadly wreck drew criticism of authorities’ response and halted the election campaign as Greece’s caretaker government announced three days of mourning.

During his election campaign, Mitsotakis vowed to further extend a 35-kilometer fence at the Greek-Turkey border, to block migrants trying to enter Greece.

Syriza has also toned down its tune on migration with its leader Tsipras at a pre-election debate agreeing to keep the fence, distancing himself from the open-arms policy toward refugees he has been advocating for years.

“The migration debate in Greece is different than anywhere else in Europe,” said Malkoutzis. “Greeks largely feel that its, militarily powerful neighbor Turkey is weaponizing migration to question Greece’s territorial sovereignty publicly. Therefore migration issues are linked to Greece’s national causes and no parties want to, or can afford to, seem to be taken those lightly.”

A series of Greek governments have been criticized by international bodies for their handling of migration policy. Conditions in Greek migrant camps have been decried by human rights organizations, particularly following the 2015 refugee crisis, when more than 1 million people entered Europe through the country.

In the past year, New Democracy has also faced a wiretapping scandal, growing concerns over the rule of law and public outcry at the aftermath of the country’s worst-ever train crash that left at least 57 people dead. But these only temporarily rocked New Democracy’s public approval ratings.

More reforms

Mitsotakis won the 2019 elections by branding himself as a liberal reformist, promising to reignite the Greek economy and change its image as Europe’s problem child in the wake of an eight-year depression that saw its economy shrink by 25% – the worst contraction in a developed economy since the end of World War II.

Fueled by May’s initial election results, Greek bonds and stocks have rallied with optimism that a pro-investment government could prevent financial backsliding.

“Strong leadership and political stability is what the markets and investors are looking for,” said Wolfgango Piccoli, co-president at financial advisory firm Teneo.

Mitsotakis has also pledged reforms in the judiciary, health and education, and promised further cuts in the country’s bloated public sector.

Disruptive voices

A lack of a strong vision by main opposition parties seems to have contributed to Mitsotakis’ landslide win.

With main opposition parties emerging from the latest election greatly weakened, potential questions over a lack of plurality of mainstream voices are resurfacing, along with questions for future accountability and transparency.

“The lack of a strong mainstream opposition certainly creates a void and one that the government will have to handle carefully,” said Vassiliki Georgiadou, a professor of political science at Panteion University in Athens.

As well as a strong showing for far-right groups, the eight-party parliament will also include a party on the far-left, Course for Freedom, led by a former Syriza official.

“The fringe voices are likely to cause disruption. Particularly in issues to do with nationalism, migration and foreign policy,” said Georgiadou.

“But despite the populist cacophony, Mitsotakis’ strong victory provides the new government a clear mandate to govern.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has just survived his biggest ever challenge – but has largely remained out of the spotlight since then.

The long-time Russian leader has not addressed his country since delivering a somber speech on Saturday morning, at the height of an insurrection led by his former ally and owner of Wagner paramilitary group Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Prigozhin was also nowhere to be seen. The head of the private military group was last seen leaving the southern city of Rostov-on-Don late on Saturday, after abruptly calling off his troops’ march on Moscow.

Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insisted on Saturday that the president was “working at the Kremlin,” but there’s been no clear information about his whereabouts since then.

A pre-recorded video of Putin addressing the “International Youth Industrial Forum” from behind a nondescript desk flanked by Russian flags was released by the Kremlin on Monday, but there was no information about when or where the clip was filmed. In the short video, Putin doesn’t make any mention of the events of the past weekend, focusing instead on the forum.

The Kremlin also released two statements saying Putin held phone calls on Monday with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. The statements didn’t specify Putin’s location. Iran and Qatar both separately confirmed the phone calls.

The press service of Prigozhin’s Concord management company said on Sunday the Wagner chief “sends his regards to everyone and will answer questions when he has proper communication.”

The Kremlin has claimed that Prigozhin agreed to leave Russia under a Minsk-brokered deal that would reportedly see him enter into exile in Belarus without facing criminal charges for the rebellion.

Prigozhin, however, has not acknowledged or commented on the reported deal. Announcing the decision to turn his forces around, Prigozhin simply said he did it to “avoid bloodshed.”

Russian state news agency TASS reported Monday that the investigation into the criminal case involving Prigozhin and his alleged involvement in organizing an armed mutiny was still active, citing a source close to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Red lines crossed

The crisis was the culmination of Prigozhin’s very public and months-long feud with Russia’s military leadership.

He had previously accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, of not giving his forces ammunition and was critical of their handling of the conflict, but he always defended the reasoning for the military campaign and steered clear of criticizing Putin himself.

But he crossed these red lines over the weekend. Late on Friday, Prigozhin accused Russia’s military leadership of killing his fighters during a strike on a Wagner camp, which the Russian Defense Ministry has denied.

Prigozhin demanded Gerasimov and Shoigu meet him in Rostov-on-Don, a key military base for Russia’s war in Ukraine. His forces then took control of military facilities in two Russian cities and began advancing towards Moscow on Saturday before turning back later in the day.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin acknowledged on Monday that the country faced a “challenge” to its internal stability.

“These days the country faced an obvious challenge, an attempt was made to destabilize the internal situation in Russia,” Mishustin said in a video meeting with cabinet members. Mishustin added that mebers of the Russian government were “at their workplaces” and commended them for their response to the threat.

“Under the leadership of the President, they acted clearly, in a coordinated manner, and maintained the stability of the situation at all levels in order to prevent the situation from worsening and protect citizens from all possible threats that might arise,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday that Shoigu visited Russian troops involved in the military operation in Ukraine, although neither the ministry nor state media said when the visit took place.

Fighting continues in Ukraine

The impact of the insurrection on Russia’s war on Ukraine remains unclear – although Kyiv insisted the latest events point to Putin’s growing weakness.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that Putin had his own actions to blame for the situation. “He knows what he is afraid of because he himself created this threat. All evil, all losses, all hatred – he himself who spreads it.”

Zelensky added that he had spoken with US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Polish President Andrzej Duda.

“We have exchanged our assessments of what is happening in Russia. We see the situation in the same way and know how to respond,” Zelensky said, adding: “Russian aggression is gradually returning to its home harbor.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that the events that unfolded in Russia over the weekend demonstrate that Putin made a “big strategic mistake” by launching a war on Ukraine. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the brief and chaotic insurrection showed “cracks” in Putin’s role as leader of the country.

The Ukrainian military said that fighting continued in the eastern Ukraine Donetsk region, along the front lines around Lyman, Mariinka and Bakhmut. It said the fighting was characterized by heavy exchanges of indirect fire but little movement. It also said Russian air attacks continued throughout the weekend and into Monday.

The Ukrainian Air Force said Monday it had intercepted 13 air attacks overnight.

However, the Ukrainians said they were on the front foot around Bakhmut, with the spokesperson for the Eastern Grouping of the Armed Forces, Serhii Cherevatyi, saying Ukrainian troops “hold the initiative, continue assault operations and push the enemy back.”

Ma Khin Hla and her five siblings didn’t have time to run when a fighter jet buzzed over their village in Myanmar’s central Sagaing region.

“We six siblings were sitting and talking at home as our brother monk was visiting us from town,” said Ma Khin Hla, 67, who asked to use a pseudonym for security reasons.

“We first heard the noises from a jet fighter. We didn’t get to run as it immediately dropped bombs.”

When she opened her eyes after the strike on Tuesday, Ma Khin Hla said she saw her siblings’ bodies scattered around her.

“All were lying dead nearby me,” she said. “My entire body is shaken by rage and numb in sadness to see my siblings killed.”

At least 10 civilians died in the airstrike and more than a dozen others were wounded, local officials and eyewitnesses said, the latest deadly attack in the military junta’s violent campaign for control since seizing power in a coup.

Three bombs dropped by a military fighter jet on Tuesday landed close to a monastery in Nyaung Kone village, Pale township, according to Zaw Htet, head of the town’s People’s Administration.

The official also said 13 houses were destroyed in the attack.

Battles between the military and resistance groups have unfolded almost daily across Myanmar since army general Min Aung Hlaing seized power in February 2021, plunging the country into economic chaos and fresh civil war.

Airstrikes and ground attacks on what the military calls “terrorist” targets occur regularly and have killed thousands of civilians, including children, according to monitoring groups. Whole villages have been burned down by junta soldiers and schools, clinics and hospitals destroyed in the attacks.

The village struck Tuesday was part of a self-governed area in the Sagaing region not under junta control.

Administration official Zaw Htet said there were no resistance fighters – known as Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) – in the village and accused the junta of targeting civilians.

“They (the military) just came and dropped the bombs,” he said. “What they did was very inhuman and cruel as if the village was the military target.”

Ma Khin Hla, whose five siblings were killed, said she has been forced to take shelter with relatives in another village.

“My house was burned to ashes … (there’s) nothing left,” she said. “We were farmers … just ordinary people working in the farm.”

“We buried the people in a pit altogether,” he said.

Nay Phone Latt, spokesperson for the shadow National Unity Government confirmed the deadly attack.

In April, a junta air attack on Pazigyi village, also in Sagaing region, killed 186 people, including dozens of children, according to the NUG and eyewitnesses.

That attack sparked international outcry and increased calls for a ban on aviation fuel imports as well as a comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar.

In May, a United Nations report found the junta had imported at least $1 billion in weapons and military-related equipment since its coup, with much of the equipment coming from individuals and businesses in Russia, China and Singapore.

A US judge on Tuesday dismissed the $100 million defamation lawsuit filed by American chess grandmaster Hans Niemann against Magnus Carlsen, among others, in an alleged cheating scandal which has rocked the sport, according to court documents.

US District Court Judge Audrey Fleissig rejected Niemann’s claims that Norwegian Carlsen, online platform Chess.com, its chief chess officer Daniel Rensch and popular streamer Hikaru Nakamura have been “egregiously defaming him and unlawfully colluding to blacklist him from the profession to which he has dedicated his life.” Niemann said in the lawsuit that the saga caused him “devasting damages.”

Fleissig also rejected the accusations of an antitrust violation with prejudice. This means Niemann cannot file again about antitrust violation allegations against these defendants on this evidence.

Niemann’s lawsuit, which was filed in October last year, came after an alleged cheating scandal which sent shockwaves through the sport.

According to the lawsuit, the scandal began in September 2022, when world No. 1 Carlsen accused Niemann of cheating at the $350,000 Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, Missouri.

The lawsuit claims that Carlsen pulled out of the tournament after losing to Niemann, later tweeting a video of soccer manager Jose Mourinho saying, “I prefer, really, not to speak. If I speak, I am in big trouble.”

Over–the–board chess is played face-to-face, rather than online. Carlsen did not provide details about what he alleges Niemann did during their September 2022 match.

In an interview with the St. Louis Chess Club shortly after, Niemann said he had never cheated in over–the–board games.

“I cheated on random games on Chess.com. I was confronted. I confessed. And this is the single biggest mistake of my life,” said Niemann. ”And I am completely ashamed. I am telling the world because I don’t want misrepresentations and I don’t want rumors. I have never cheated in an over the board game. And other than when I was 12 years old I have never cheated in a tournament with prize money.”

However, a 72-page report by Chess.com – one of the sport’s most popular websites – later alleged Niemann “likely cheated” in more than 100 online matches between July 2015 and August 2020, “including several with prize money events.”

The report alleges that Niemann privately confessed to cheating to the website’s chief chess officer in 2020, which led to the American being temporarily banned from the platform.

Niemann’s lawsuit described this allegation as “false,” and stated that he “had not previously been banned twice on Chess.com for cheating.”

The report said Chess.com closed Niemann’s account in September 2022, given his previous acknowledgments of cheating, suspicions about his recent play and concerns about the steep, inconsistent rise in his rank. The American has risen to 36th in the world at the time of writing.

“While we don’t doubt that Hans is a talented player, we note that his results are statistically extraordinary,” the report said.

Niemann has previously admitted publicly to cheating in online matches at the ages of 12 and 16 but the investigation alleged he had cheated more recently. Niemann has denied these accusations.

Niemann initially filed the lawsuit in October before making two amendments to the accusations over the following months, according to Chess.com.

In his second amendment, Niemann alleged that Carlsen paid a friend $328 (€300) to shout “Cheater Hans” from the stands at the closing ceremony of a tournament. Carlsen has not responded to this allegation.

“We’re glad to see this ruling,” Chess.com’s CEO Erik Allebest and Rensch said in their company’s press release. “We obviously thought it was a meritless lawsuit that burned a ton of time and money, but we have a stewardship to protect the game.

“We appreciate our amazing legal team for their diligence and commitment to our cause. Where do we go from here? We remain 100% focused on what we always have been doing: growing the game and serving the community.”

Chess.com has millions of users and hosts more than 10 million chess games a day, according to its owners. To detect suspected cheating, the website uses software that flags suspicious moves by comparing a player’s moves to those suggested by a chess engine. Fewer than 0.14% of players ever cheat on the site, according to the company’s report on Niemann’s alleged behavior.

Is Simone Biles making a return to gymnastics competition?

The 26-year-old is listed as an entrant for the US Classic, which is scheduled to be held August 5 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, just outside of Chicago.

Biles famously withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics during the women’s team final when she was suffering from the twisties, a mental block in gymnastics while losing track of her position midair.

She opted not to compete in four individual finals in those Olympics – the all-around individual competition, vault, uneven bars and floor exercise – but she notably did return to compete during the Games using a modified dismount in her balance beam routine, winning the bronze medal in the event.

“Registration for U.S. Classic closed this week and is required to compete at the U.S. Classic, but it does not guarantee participation,” said the USA Gymnastics announcement on its website.

Biles has won seven Olympic medals – including four golds – over the course of her decorated career. In October 2021, she told NBC’s “Today” show that she was “still scared to do gymnastics” after what unfolded at the Olympics.

“I don’t think people understand the magnitude of what I go through,” she said at the time, adding that she has benefitted from mental health therapy while on tour.

Earlier this year, Biles announced her marriage to NFL player Jonathan Owens, who has recently joined the Green Bay Packers.

Responding to Biles’ impending return to competition, US ski star Mikaela Shiffrin called it “the best news.”

As the aviation world looks to battery-powered planes to help sustainability, the rail sector has been quietly working on a faster alternative. Enter Europe’s first battery-powered trains.

A 20-strong fleet of Hitachi Masaccio trains is now running in Italy, where they are known as “Blues.” It’s the first phase of a 1.23 billion euros project which will add 135 battery-powered trains to national operator Trenitalia’s network, running in Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Tuscany, and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

In Calabria, the trains are running on the Ionian Coast, while Sicilian routes include Messina to Palermo and Messina-Catania-Syracuse. Of course, not all the trains on these lines will be the Blues, so it’s pot luck which travelers end up on.

The three- and four-carriage, 300-seater trains are hybrid, working on battery, electric and diesel power. “It is the first time that batteries are used as the main energy source on a fleet of trains for commercial use in Europe,” Trenitalia said in a statement.

The fleet – made with 93% recyclable materials – will cut carbon emissions and fuel consumption by 50% versus diesel trains, Hitachi said in a statement. And by running on batteries through urban areas, they can also eliminate emissions and reduce noise pollution. A “driver advisory system” also suggests the optimal speed to reduce energy consumption.

The trains have a short range of up to 15 kilometers (about 10 miles) on battery alone, but can recharge as they go, using the pantograph (the apparatus on top of the train which connects it to a power line) or by braking, meaning it can recharge multiple times during a journey. Maximum speed is 160 kph (100 mph).

They are also slung at platform level to allow no-steps entry for travelers with mobility issues.

A battery-powered future

Europe’s rail network is ever expanding, but nearly half – 40% – of the continent’s lines have yet to be electrified, and more than half the trains are powered only by diesel, according to Hitachi.

Some lines face an uphill battle to electrification because of their geography. In Italy alone, there are over 2,500 miles of track that has not yet been electrified – with Hitachi claiming that the Masaccio line offers “an immediate solution to help decarbonize European passenger rail.”

The next model of the Masaccio is due in two years time. It is predicted to run on batteries only, with a journey range of over 100 kilometers (62 miles). Hitachi also plans to retrofit the trains that have only just debuted.

Eleven people have died due to heat-related illnesses in Webb County, Texas, the county medical examiner said, as an unrelenting heat wave put 90 million Americans under safety alerts Wednesday.

“I come to you with a heavy heart this morning. In the last eight days in our county, we’ve lost nine residents to this heat,” Webb County Medical Examiner Dr. Corinne Stern said at a commissioners court meeting Tuesday. Stern said the people who died ranged in age from their 60s to 80s.

Texans have faced triple-digit temperatures and extreme humidity in the last week. Stern urged residents to stay hydrated and check on family, friends and neighbors who may not be taking the heat seriously.

“This is heat like we’ve not seen here before. Please, please, please. Deaths due to heat stroke are ruled as accidents, and accidents, by definition, are preventable deaths. All these deaths could have been prevented,” she said. “Please check on your neighbors.”

Stern says that the 11 heat-related deaths do not include migrants, but that she has seen an increase in heat-related migrant deaths in the past few weeks. The same heatwave killed at least 21 people in northern Mexico, according to a statement by the health secretary for the state of Tamaulipas.

Power use in Texas hit an all-time high Tuesday, the state’s power authority said, and the blistering temperatures that prompted the usage surge will continue to scorch parts of the US Wednesday.

As customers grappled with the scorching heat, the Texas Electric Reliability Council said power usage reached 80,828 megawatts at 6 p.m. Tuesday. That surpassed the grid’s previous record of 80,148 megawatts, set on July 20, 2022. The authority expects another record to be set Wednesday afternoon.

The state’s power grid is largely cut off from the rest of the country and has seen frequent challenges in recent years as Texans have been faced with extreme heat and other strains, including severe storms and tornadoes.

While the Texas power authority has assured residents the energy supply is sufficient to avoid blackouts, it is asking residents to cut back on power usage where possible.

The heat wave that has impacted Texas for well over a week is set to expand northward and eastward. More than 150 heat records could be broken during the next six days. The National Weather Service in Memphis warned the warm front could bring dangerous peaks of 110 to 115 degrees Thursday and Friday.

Several daily high temperature records were broken or tied Tuesday in Texas, including at Houston Hobby Airport, Corpus Christi, Laredo and Del Rio. Del Rio hit 110 degrees, marking its 10th consecutive day of record highs.

On Wednesday, 100-degree heat will spread northward into Oklahoma and Kansas, as well as eastward into Arkansas and Louisiana. Oklahoma City is expecting a record high of 106, the weather service said.

The heat index – what the body feels – will range from 100 to 115 degrees across large portions of the central and southern Plains as well as into the lower Mississippi Valley. Temperatures will continue to reach 100 degrees across much of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas on Thursday and will also spread into portions of Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama.

Heat alerts are also posted for portions of Colorado and California. The heat in southeastern Colorado should peak Wednesday, with highs from the upper 90s to around 100 degrees.

In California, the heat will peak on Friday and Saturday, with highs climbing to 110. That includes much of the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, as well as a large portion of the Central Coast and Bay Area. Mount Shasta could come close to breaking its 100-degree record high on Friday, with a high of 99 degrees forecast.

More than 600 people in the United States are killed by extreme heat every year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As Americans face hotter and hotter temperatures, officials are urging people to take safety precautions, including staying hydrated, avoiding leaving pets and kids in cars unattended and finding cool, indoor spaces to wait out the heat.

Computer glitches. Staffing shortages. Awful weather. Holiday crunches. So many things can cause a flight to be delayed or canceled.

It’s no wonder travelers are wary about making it to their destinations on time – or at all.

Here’s some general advice for navigating the system when flights are delayed or canceled.

Check the weather forecasts

Days ahead of the now-infamous December 2022 bomb cyclone, many US airlines offered their passengers a chance to change their flights for no fee.

When you know a major weather event is forecast, hop on those waiver offers quickly, said Scott Keyes, the founder of Going.com (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights). The early birds have the best choices of the remaining worms (that is seats and flights).

Avoid getting trapped at the airport

As bad as it is to find out your flight has been delayed for a long time, or worse, canceled, it’s better to find out from the comfort of home or a hotel room and make new arrangements from there.

“Check your flight status before you go the airport. Most of these notifications are not happening at the last minute,” said Keyes. “Save yourself the drive to the airport.”

You can also put your airline and flight number directly into a Google search bar to retrieve the status that way. That’s also handy for friends or family who are on standby to pick you up.

Keyes also suggested checking the website FlightAware to track larger flight trends across the country.

If you’re at the airport already

Sometimes, the delays and cancellations happen after you’ve arrived at the airport. Once the bad news has been delivered, what should you do?

Keyes said to head as fast as you can to the airline agents’ desk – and get ready to multitask while you’re in line.

Fast is a key word here. “It’s going to make a difference who arrives first. It’s first-come, first-serve. Positioning yourself close to the desk can pay off,” Keyes said.

Then you might want to call up your carrier while you’re waiting. Depending on your spot in line, it might be faster to get through to a call center. “Whatever happens first, great,” he said.

Calls to US domestic numbers might have really long waits. Keyes suggested trying an international call center for your carrier instead.

“Most US-based travelers aren’t thinking to call the Canadian help line for Delta. You might get through to an agent much quicker. They can all handle your reservations just the same.”

You can also use a self-serve kiosk, American Airlines says. “Scan your boarding pass or enter your record locator to see your updated trip details. From there you can also switch your flight and print your new boarding passes.”

The travel advice website Travel Lens suggests using social media to your advantage.

“Airlines value their reputation on social media and platforms like Twitter are a great way to get in contact with an employee. If you do use Twitter to reach out, then it’s important to remain polite and calm as this will work in your favor.”

Attitude and research matter

Whether you’re dealing with an agent in person or over the phone, how you approach things can make a big difference. That starts with attitude.

“Honey attracts more flies than vinegar,” Keyes said. “Look at this from the airline agents’ perspective. They’ve been dealing with irate customers really since the pandemic began. The agent is the one who has the most ability to help you.

“Asking nicely and sympathetically is far more likely to get what you want than being a jerk about it.”

He had another tip when it’s your turn to talk to an agent about making new arrangements: “Come prepared to offer your own options already. Doing your own research is absolutely helpful.”

Your agent can expedite things if you’ve already looked up new routes and possible suggestions while you’ve been waiting. Be ready to explain what you want.

If you’ve booked through Expedia or another third-party site, you’ll have to deal through them when there’s a cancellation.

If the price is the same, Keyes suggested you book directly with the airline. In case something goes wrong, “it makes it much more complicated with multiple sets of policies” when you booked via a third party.

US PIRG, a consumer advocacy group, suggests you avoid layovers when booking if possible. The more times you stop, the more chances for something to go wrong.

The group also backs up the advice from Keyes to be nice and polite to agents but also says consumers should be persistent in trying to get the situation resolved satisfactorily.

Help from other airlines

Cooperation between airlines could work in your favor.

“This means, for example, if Delta is having service interruptions but American is running a flight to your destination, you may be able to get on that flight.”

“If you elect not to be accommodated on a later flight and you book a new ticket out of your own pocket, you are entitled to a cash refund, though that may not help you get to where you need to go,” Smith said. “As we all know, last-minute flights are very expensive.”

Trapped for the night

What do you do if it looks like you’re not going to be able to fly out until the next day and you’re not in your home city?

“Ask the airline to put you up in a hotel or give you a hotel voucher. They might do it; they might not. It’s not required by law,” Keyes said.

They’re less likely to do it if it’s weather related, he said, than if the problem is a mechanical issue with the plane or staffing issues.

What you might get depends on the airline itself and the specific circumstances on why a flight was canceled.

Get to know policies. For instance, Delta Air Lines says it will provide a hotel voucher in some circumstances if travel is interrupted for more than four hours after the scheduled departure time when the delay is between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Whatever you do, at least ask, Keyes said. A voucher for hotels and even ground transport and meals aren’t likely to just be offered.

The US Department of Transportation has posted a dashboard online outlining what each major carrier has committed to in various situations.

In some cases, airlines will set you up with accommodations, Smith said, but it’s a case-by-case basis.

Also, your credit card could be your friend in this situation.

“The good news is that many credit cards offer travel protections such as reimbursement if a flight cancellation forces you to get a hotel, meals, etc.” Smith said. “These travel protections are typically included automatically as long as you used the card to pay for your flight. Google your credit card plus travel protections to see what specific offerings your card carries.”

If your flight is delayed instead of outright canceled, you might want to weigh whether to wait at the airport. Depending your personal circumstances, hunkering down there for five or six hours might be easier than going to and from a hotel. Also, Keyes said, check whether there is a hotel within the airport.

The Points Guy advises trying to get into an airport lounge if you can, where you can recharge your phone and rest more easily.

Stay safe. If extreme weather is causing air travel disruption, trying to make the journey by road could be hazardous. Frustrating though it is to stay put, it’s always better to arrive late than not at all.

Travel insurance and receipts

It said “most travel insurance policies provide additional cover for travel uncertainty. Additional [coverage] usually becomes applicable if your flight is postponed by more than 12 hours due to a strike, adverse weather or a mechanical breakdown.”

The site also advises that you keep any receipts of airport purchases. You can try to get the money back from the airline later.

But keep it to the basics. “Airlines only pay for ‘reasonable’ expenses though, so you are unlikely to get money back for purchases such as alcohol, expensive meals or extravagant hotels. “

Refund entitlements for your flight

The US Department of Transportation says you are entitled to a refund of your ticket cost because of a cancellation or “significant delay” and you choose not to travel.

This is the policy regardless of the reason the airline cancels or delays the flight. However, what constitutes a “significant delay” remains open to interpretation.

According to the DOT website, “it has not specifically defined what constitutes a ‘significant delay.’ Whether you are entitled to a refund depends on many factors – including the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances. DOT determines whether you are entitled to a refund following a significant delay on a case-by-case basis.”

“If travelers are denied boarding, they should not volunteer their seat in exchange for perks or a voucher. If they do, they could be giving up their right to any additional compensation,” Pawliszyn said. “Of course, if the airline makes a compelling enough offer, they may prefer to take it.”

A Delta Air Lines flight landed with its “nose landing gear up” at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina on Wednesday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration says.

No injuries were reported from the incident, but the runway was closed while crews with the airport worked on removing the plane from the runway, CLT Airport shared in a post on Facebook.

The flight, operated on a Boeing 717, departed from Atlanta around 7:25 a.m., according to a Delta statement. There were 96 customers, two pilots and three flight attendants on board.

“As it approached CLT, pilots received a ‘nose gear unsafe’ indication. The crew initiated a missed approach procedure to further investigate the indication,” Delta said in a post on its website.

The airline said that initial reports show that the crew flew by the air traffic control tower in Charlotte so that air traffic controllers could visually inspect the plane. That observation indicated the nose landing gear doors were open, but the nose gear itself had not come down.

The plane landed at 8:58 a.m. EDT in Charlotte with the nose gear up, Delta said.

The runway was still closed as of about 2 p.m., according to a post on the airport’s website.

“We are asking customers to check with their airline for updated status before coming to the Airport.”

‘It was a smooth landing’

The pilots and crew on board were “calm and collected” during the emergency landing, said passenger Chris Skotarczak.

“The crew stepped up and started going over all the procedures and safety emergency protocols,” Skotarczak said.

“I could see the plane’s shadow and was able to see there was no nose gear down. We throttled back up and then circled a few times and finally came in for a landing. It was a smooth landing and pilots and crew were amazing. Calm and collected in the cabin and everyone remained calm.”

All passengers were bussed off the plane and taken to the terminal.

Two other runways at the airport remained open while the affected runway was closed, the FAA said.

The FAA will investigate why the nose gear did not come down during landing. The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating.